Fortune Teller
by Nicole444
Summary: Gwen Walsh is a small time fortune teller with a real gift. When she is given an invitation to join the Eye, what else is she to do but accept. Yet, it isn't as simple as it seems. She has to work with four other magicians to gain entrance together they will become greater than they could ever be alone. If they succeed.
1. Chapter 1

**So I don't own Now You See Me or its characters. I don't own the plot except for the changes that I'm doing. Sadly. I know that I have other stories up on this site that aren't finished and I know that I just basically scraped my original book until I can figure out how to fix it but I had to write at least the first chapter of this. I love theses movies, so very much. I recently watched the first one again, for like the 20th time and I somehow came up with the idea of this story. Hopefully you guys like it and please comment and vote!**

 **The actress that I see as Gwen is Emily Wickersham, she's on NCIS. The picture at the top is her with glasses.**

 **Happy reading!**

Fortune Teller

New York is a wonderful place to get lost in. With the people bustling around you without a care in the world as to who you are and the many back alleys. The skyscrapers really look as if they are touching the clouds and if you could only stand on their roofs you would be among the stars.

New York is also a perfect place to be a street magician. By setting up shop on a busy corner you can see more people in five minutes than you would in a shop in a whole business day. If you're loud enough and interesting enough you can make a decent amount of money.

In my opinion I fit into _both_ of those categories.

I was once described as louder than a freight train. I have my best friend to thank for that actually, well, former best friend. We had a falling out. I however am a firm believer that it's the magic itself that draws people in, rather than my vocal chords.

My kind of magic isn't showy nor is it flashy, which can actually be a bit of a downside. I'm not one of those escape artists and I'm definitely not a mind reader. No, I'm a fortune teller and a pretty good one if I do say so myself. Well, I do have an advantage over other charlatans. Seeing as I'm not a charlatan, I'm the real deal. I oddly enough have a minor, and I do really mean minor, gift of precognition. It's doesn't work on myself or anyone I personally know, only strangers. I don't see far, only a day forward at best and a few seconds at worst. But no matter how crappy this ability is, it's a gift. I'm just restricted in my use of it and if putting on little shows for the hustle and bustle has made a difference in one life, then I'll continue to do them.

Today I have chosen the busy street corner that my shared apartment is on to preform my magic. I've set up a white card table and covered it in a rich purple tablecloth. I place a deck of tarot cards from my bag on the cloth and add a deck of regular cards just in case. I also sit out a clear glass jar with a royal purple ribbon tied around it, for tips. For the added bonus of looking cool, yet having no purpose whatsoever, I have a crystal ball. It's set in a jeweled, clawed grasp and I use it as the centerpiece of my table. Now all I have to do is wait. The freight train vocal chords will only come out to play if I don't get an audience anytime soon.

My first visitors of the day are a group of kids. They're all wearing a uniform for one of the local middle schools a few blocks down the road. A little girl from the group stops in front of my table as her friends continue walking, they take several more steps before realizing that she had dropped behind. The four children then crowd around my table as I offer to tell them their futures.

I ask the smallest girl to look into my crystal ball and tell me what she sees. She confusedly stands on her tiptoes and peers into the glass ball, seeing nothing. She shakes her head and I tell her that it's alright, not everyone can see their own future, that's what I'm for. She smiles and I make a show of placing her small hand on the crystal ball and then peering into it myself. I get a flash of her nailing a somersault in gymnastic practice when I touch her hand. I glance up from the crystal ball and smile at her before telling her what I saw. She jumps up and down squealing in excitement and the next child steps up.

He's only slightly taller than the little girl and looks enough like her to be a family member. I tell him to look into the crystal and he too sees nothing, which is expected. I do the same as I did with the little girl and when I pick up his hand I see him getting his science test back and on it is an A. I tell him what I saw and his face lights up.

Next up is a slightly older girl with long blonde hair in a braid. I decide to use a different technique with the last two girls and I ask the blonde girl for her hand. She bites her lip nervously as I gently hold her right hand, palm facing up. I trace the lines of her palm for effect as I see her panicking over a pop quiz in one of her classes, I can't tell which. I inform her of what I saw and she looks disappointed for a moment before she thanks me.

Finally, the last girl of the group bounces forward. She is roughly the same age as the blonde girl and has vibrant red hair. She thrusts her left hand out excitedly and I trace the lines on her palm. I see her being bullied by a dark haired girl at lunch. I tell her what I saw and tears begin to well up in her eyes. Her friends notice and start to comfort her. I apologize but explain to her that I don't control her future, she does. She gives me a watery smile and each of the children place a few dollars into my jar before walking off.

The day continues on like this, with me alternating between using the crystal ball, the palm reading, and the tarot cards. I do a few minor card tricks with my regular deck but I mostly stick to my fortune telling. The tip jar slowly fills up, the people all blur into one and before I know it I'm packing up. I screw on the lid of my tip jar and place both decks of cards into their correct boxes before placing them in my bag. But when I do I see a tarot card that doesn't match my deck sticking out. It's on a nicer type of paper than mine and it has a glossy look to it. It's the Wheel of Fortune and when I turn it over it reads March 29th; 4:44 PM, 45 East Evan Street, NY, NY. over an image of an eye.

That's today. In two hours.

As I hurriedly continue to pack up my things I think about the ever mysterious Eye. Now every magician who has even a fraction of talent knows about the Eye. They are what we work towards. We're all unconsciously, or for some of us consciously, striving for their attention. The goal is to one day do something so amazing, so incredible, so unique that the Eye notices you. Some magicians give up of that dream and others believe in it until they take their final breaths.

I've always believed in the existence of the Eye but I never in a million years would have thought that they would choose me. I'm lugging my table and bag into the elevator of my apartment building when I come to a decision. I'm going to this meeting. I don't care that it might be a prank or that it could be some elaborate serial killer's plot to get me alone. I'm going.

I lean the table up against the wall of the third floor as I fumble with my keys. I know that my roommate Karen is out, doing who know what, which is great because that means she won't pester me about where I'm going. Karen means well but she's too pushy most of the time. I sigh in relief as I finally get the key in the lock and open the door.

I pick the table back up and lug it into my room where I shove it onto the wall and try to brace it so it doesn't topple over. I wait a couple of seconds with my hands out in front of it until I'm sure that it's steady before walking into our shared bathroom to put my contacts in.

I was too lazy to put them in this morning and so decided that wearing my glasses was better than going outside with the vision of a ninety year old grandma. But now that I've been invited to join the Eye I have to make a decent impression and contacts make me feel better about myself than glasses. I don't have time to change out of my dark gray leggings and teal beaded dress that make me look the part of a fortune teller, so that will just have to do. I run a brush through my thick blonde hair, grab my bag of charlatan fortune teller things and the Wheel of Fortune tarot card before rushing out the door.

Hopefully this isn't a huge mistake. Maybe, just maybe, the Eye needs a fortune teller.


	2. Chapter 2

Crappy Apartments and New Coworkers 

My bag bounces against my side as I rush through the streets to make it to 45 East Evan Street in time. I yell out apologies to all the people that my heavy bag smacks into as I finally cross the right street and stop in front of a slightly crappy looking apartment building.

"It could be worse." I mutter to myself as I stare. "It's now or never Gwen."

I clutch the strap of my bag and bravely head into the unknown. The crappy building is not only crappy on the outside but inside as well. It doesn't even have an elevator. Ugh, stairs! Really people this is the age of the geek come on at least put in an elevator.

I sigh heavily and trudge up the stairs hoping to see some sign of which apartment I'm meant to enter. A man's voice could be heard as I made my way up to the third floor.

"So apparently none of us was the only one chosen. Let me be the first one to kick my ego to the curb."

Chosen? That probably means I'm in the right place. How many people would come to 45 East Evans Street at 4:44 on March 29th and mention being chosen? That's pretty specific. This unknown man and whoever he's talking to have to be here for that same reason I am. At least I hope they are.

The same man is talking again as I finally reach the third floor landing. He says "You. Now, hold it, don't tell me. Uh...Helen? No, no. Henley." The older man has his finger to his head and he's concentrating on a pretty red headed woman standing in front of him. There's another man, younger, staring at a door and he appears to be attempting to unlock it with the power of his gaze. It isn't working. So he turns around and tells this Henley woman that her name was on her coffee cup.

The older man notices me first. "We weren't the only ones chosen. As I assume you got a card as well."

Henley spins around to face me and the other unnamed man sighs irritably.

"Hello." I say with a small wave as I calmly walked closer. "Yes, I got a tarot card. I was wondering what apartment to go to when I heard you all talking and took a chance."

"It'll be great to have another woman around. I'm Henley Reeves." She stuck her hand out and I shook it. Getting a flash of her and the young man arguing in the hallway about having a magic act together and how they were "never a couple".

"I'm Gwen Walsh."

"J. Daniel Atlas. Nice to meet you. Very nice." He turned to address the old man next. "I know who you are and I just want to say that I'm not interested in you doing your mentalism thing on us. Especially when we don't know who brought us here or even if it's real."

Atlas spoke quickly and looked uncomfortable with mine and Henley's introduction. Like we were going to concoct an evil plan to become the supreme rulers of Earth, or at least America. Controlling the conversation a little too much there, Atlas, it was just a greeting.

"Shh!" The older man paused Atlas. "Hold on, I'm sensing...I'm sensing you are a control freak."

"I've spent less than minute in his presence and I figured that out old man."

The grin on the older man's face turned even more sarcastic as he looked at me. I just shrugged my shoulders as Atlas plowed on.

"I'm sorry, have I met either of you before?"

"Nope." I said with a pop and a grin.

"It doesn't take a mentalist or a long time to figure that out. You are a control freak." Henley replied.

Henley and Atlas then proceed to have that argument I saw and I moved to stand beside the older man.

"So what's your name." I whisper to him as we watch the two ex-lovebirds argue.

He glances down at me, shakes his head and softly laughs. "Merritt McKinney."

"It's nice to meet you old man." I grinned at his exasperated expression as another young man comes onto the landing. He's staring at Atlas in awe and then goes on about how he's Atlas' "biggest fan". He introduces himself as Jack and then Merritt asks if he received a tarot card.

"Yeah. Death." Jack searches around for it and finally finding it holds it out with a smile.

"The High Priestess." Henley holds her card out for us to see.

"I'm the Lover." Atlas stated proudly.

"Three minutes." Henley coughed and I stifled a laugh, but just ended up snickering.

"Hermit." Merritt said awkwardly.

"I got the Wheel of Fortune. Which is funny cause that's the name of a popular game show. Which I'm actually quite terrible at." I shrug again and Henley and Jack laugh a bit. Atlas just seems annoyed again and Merritt is hiding a smile.

"So, what are we...Are we waiting for someone? Why are we just..." Jack questions as we awkwardly stand around in the deserted hallway looking like a group of idiots.

"The door's locked." Henley and Atlas respond in sync. Creepy.

"Oh, no, nothing's ever locked." Jack said with a smile as he strode over to the door and promptly picked the lock in under ten seconds. Impressive. I'll have to ask him to teach me that.

The apartment is crappier than the building. There is paint peeling off the wall like dead skin after a sunburn. The floorboards creak and crack as we hesitantly make our way inside and through the halls, glancing in the doors off the hallways. Each room looking nastier than the last. It reeks of some unknown stench that is like a combination of dead animal, rotting fruit, and old people. There might even be a few dead rats scattered around the desolate place. I notice several cockroaches scuttle around and there is a suspicious red stain on a floorboard near the window in a living room area. I shudder from the freezing cold and notice how a hint of my breath shows up as white fog.

"What is this place? Ugh!" Henley seems disappointed and slightly creeped out. I'm with her there.

"Oh! Wow. Thought my apartment was nasty." Merritt wrinkles his nose. I look at him in horror and ask if he knows about basic human hygiene. He glares at me and Jack comments on the weird apartment before he can respond.

"Man, it's freezing in here."

"It's like an ice box." I agree as I wrap my arms around myself to conserve as much heat as I can.

"What's that?" Henley questions as we notice a plain white card, a rose, and a glass vase in the middle of the empty living room with a strange symbol carved into the floor.

"I don't know." Atlas responds as he snatches it up and opens it.

"What's it say?" Merritt's deep voice questions from my right as we each explore parts of the room.

"Now you don't." Atlas reads with a questioning tone and a glance at Jack.

"A rose by any other name." Henley quotes, picking up the white rose and plopping it into the waiting vase.

"Would smell as sweet." I finished. "Shakespeare, it's from Romeo and Juliet. I've always disliked that story." Henley and Jack smiled at me while Atlas glared and Merritt continued to look around the bare room without a care in the world.

The water in the vase slowly started seeping out and across the floor to fill the carved symbol and I backed away.

"You guys what's happening?" Jack said with a hint of fear.

"I have no idea, but we're about to find out." I responded.

"Whoa. Look at that." Merritt's eyes widened slightly and we all gathered around the strange symbol.

Once it's filled up the carved symbol seems to disappear as a white gas like substance billows out from it.

"It's gas!" Jack backs away in fear.

"Relax it's just-"

"Dry ice." I finish Merritt's comment. "I used it one time when I told this guy his fortune, it really freaked him out."

"Cool." Henley whispered.

"Wait, what do you think this is all about?"

"Well Atlas if I knew that answer do you think I'd keep it to myself? I'm a fortune teller not an idiot."

"I was just saying what we were all thinking."

"Hang on...hang on." Merritt puts his hand up to his temple and closes his eyes in concentration as we all stare at him in confusion. He makes a face, blows out a puff of air and shakes his head stating that he's "got nothin'." Merritt and Atlas then proceed to have a minor tiff about wisdom, Buddha, Jesus, and miracles.

"Okay lovebirds get a room." Henley states in a frustrated tone.

"Thank you Henley for that wonderful mental image that I will never be able to get rid of." She just smirks at me and the two lovebirds look disgusted while Jack snickers off to the side.

"Danny, be honest. Did you do this?" Henley questions.

"No. Wait, did you?" Atlas looked to Jack.

"I wish. Did you?" Jack glances at me and I shake my head.

"Nope."

"Why didn't anyone ask me if I did it?" Merritt sounded hurt and a little skeptical.

"Did you do it old man?" He huffs but shakes his head.

"Electricity is out." Jack mutters as Atlas flips a light switch several times like one more flick is gonna change the outcome.

"Well let's check."Merritt says and I try and help him out by twisting a light bulb. Key word there is try. I can't seem to reach the bulb and no amount of jumping is gonna change it. Merritt finally takes pity on me and twists it effortlessly himself. I mumble my thanks and he pats my shoulder as several lights seem to come on all at once and a whirring sound starts up all around us. The lights all meet in the middle of the room above the strange symbol and start forming holographic images.

"Blueprints." Henley breaths out in awe.

"These are brilliant." I'm able to whisper as I study them.

"They're incredible." Jack agrees. "Who do you think did this?"

"I don't know, but I really want to meet them." Henley continues in a tone of wonder.

"These must have taken years. Whoever did this is dedicated to their work. I hope we get to meet them."

We continue to study the amazing plans as they twist, turn, disappear, and reappear in front of us.

"It's a show." Henley breathes out.

"Can we really pull this off?" I ask, as a doubt forms in my mind. I don't know these people. How are we gonna work together to accomplish this intricate show? Is it even possible?

"It's going to take work. A lot of work, and planing. But we will do this. We have to do this. It's the eye, what greater opportunity is ever going to come our way?" Atlas responds as he moves to touch the holographic plans.

"I'm in." I say with a smile and a slight feeling of trepidation about my agreement.

"Lets go for it." Jack agrees with his own bright smile.

"I'm so in." Henley says excitedly.

"Why not." Merritt agrees with a sigh.

"What about you Danny?" Henley looks to him.

"You all wouldn't make it past the planning without me."

 _ **Thanks for reading guys! Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, maybe even by the end of the week.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_A Year is Just a Series of Moments (Part 1)_

 _Fortune Teller or Fraud?_

 _-Atlas challenges Gwen and she retaliates_

A group of magicians, of any kind, are bound to have issues regarding each other's talents. An illusionist can envy an escape artist and a pickpocket can fear a mentalist, and so on. There are many issues that magicians can have regarding each other. But what happens when a group of magicians, each with a unique talent, are forced to work together. Tension, that's what happens. Especially if one of those magicians is J. Danial Atlas.

Fortune Tellers. When someone says that what immediately comes to your mind? Fraud?Parlor trick? Real? How about Mentalist? Apparently to one Daniel Atlas Fortune Teller and Mentalist are synonymous and they mean liar and fraud. This has lead to a feeling of mistrust and even a little resentment towards me and Merritt McKinney.

Atlas had already challenged Merritt several times within the first few hours and now he had directed his attention towards me.

"Fortune Teller? Really? What are you suppose to do during these grand shows? Con people into thinking they're going to die?"

"No. I only tell people that they're gonna die if I see them dying. I've only ever seen six people die in my visions and out of those four were prevented." I said with a fake smile.

"Oh, scary." Atlas widened his eyes comically and did this weird hand motion where he shook his hands. It was probably supposed to look like a ghost but it ended up looking like a bad impression of a zombie.

"What is your issue with fortune telling?"

"It isn't a real talent! Anyone can look into a crystal ball and tell the poor gullible sap in front of them that he's going to be fired or that he's going to die."

"Fine. I'll prove to you that what I can do is much more than a parlor trick." I swiftly latched onto his hand and was thrown into a vision. I saw him walking out of the apartment building wearing the same clothes as today when suddenly a lime green water balloon lands smack dab on his head, soaking him. Two young boys are leaning out the fourth floor window laughing like hyenas. A woman who looks similar to them suddenly appears in the window, she yell out how sorry she is and that her boys are in big trouble. Then the vision ends.

"Let go!" Atlas yanked his hand back and I smirked at him.

"Do you wanna know your future Atlas?"

"No." He snarled.

"Too bad. When you leave this building today two young boys will drop a lime green water balloon right onto your head. They'll laugh and their mother will apologize and say that the boys are in 'big trouble.' How's that for you?"

"You made that up. It isn't possible to accurately tell someone's future."

"Did I? You'll just have to wait and see."

You could feel the tension in the air. Atlas glared at me while the others watched the first of our many arguments to come in silence.

The day continues on with us attempting to figure out how we were going to pull off planning and executing of these shows. Atlas glaring at me and Merritt all the while. Merritt ignored him like a pro and I played on Atlas' frustrations by making snide comments and smirking. We finished for the day soon after, realizing that nothing was gonna be accomplished with the way Atlas was acting.

Atlas was the first to leave the building and we all followed behind him. The others waited with bated breathe to see if my prediction would come true while I watched patiently. Then I see it, the boys are leaning out the window and preparing to drop the massive lime green water balloon. Smiling I nudge Henley and point at the boys. Her face lights up with a smile and she slaps Jack, who then points it out to Merritt. Atlas never notices.

The boys drop the balloon and it lands right on Atlas' head. Just like I said it would. The woman then shows up and does exactly what I said she would as well. Henley, Jack, and Merritt turn to stare at me, wondering how on Earth I knew exactly what would happen. Atlas splutters as the water pours down his face and his hair flops into his eyes.

"Okay, you got me. Great set up."

"It wasn't a set up. When did I have time to set this up?"

"I don't know! But you somehow did!"

"No I didn't!"

"She's right Danny. There's no way Gwen could have set this up she was with us all day." Henley tries to calm down a frustrated and soaking wet Atlas while Merritt and Jack snicker off to the side.

"Fine. Believe whatever you want about her and the whole fortune teller gig." Atlas hollered as he stormed off in huff.

"Well now he hopefully won't question my abilities again."

 _Where are we gonna live?_

 _\- Apartment cleansing and roommates_

To be perfectly honest I don't think the architect of this plan thought through the fact that not all of us live in New York. Two out of five live here and I already have a roommate. The other three have a couple of options. One, they each get a hotel room indefinitely- failure. Two, they split up between me and Jack's places- failure, again. Three, they rent their own apartments-also failure. Four, we somehow clean this dump of an apartment up and all of us or probably just those three live here-possible success.

The crappy apartment once cleaned provides us with a living space and a planning space where we are less likely to be spied on or overheard. Both of those are a plus, we just have to make it livable first, which is no small task. Actually it's a task for the big guns-hired cleaning ladies. We scoured the add pages of the newspaper (Merritt's idea) and we googled (me and Henley) until we found the perfect women for the job.

They we a group called Toxic Be Gone and their website advertised that they had at one point cleaned up toxic waste and crime scenes. Henley called them and they agreed to make our apartment look like brand new.

They failed. Well, not completely. They were able to remove the funky smell and suspicious stains. The rat carcasses and scurrying cockroaches were also eliminated. They removed the black mold in the bathroom and kitchen and sanitized both of them. The bedrooms and living room were cleaned as best they could. The chipping and peeling paint wasn't their job and Atlas figured that paint in the long run didn't matter much, so we left it alone. The apartment was habitable now and the three out of towners were getting settled, buying furniture, clothes, and food.

Once Jack learned that the apartment was fully paid for he moved in as well. Now I was the only one commuting and it made the control freak angry.

"Why won't you just move it? We all did, even Jack! It's easier to plan when we're all in the same place at the same time."

"I'm sorry but I made a commitment to my roommate that I would pay half of the utilities and half of the rent. Without my share she'll lose the apartment and become homeless."

"Danny, just leave Gwen alone. She's here whenever we have planning sessions and we have her number if we need her opinion on something and she can't be here." Henley liked to stand up for me in our many arguments, she says it's a girl thing but I like to think it's because she's my friend.

"Fine. I'll leave it alone, for now."

That wasn't the last of our arguments about living together. We had many of those in the first month and Henley and I always won them. I was able to pull the homeless roommate card every time and it always made him lose a bit of his bite.

I thought the issue was dead and buried and we moved on in our planning. But like all things in the ground it has to come up at some point. What's interesting though is that this time it wasn't Atlas who brought it up. It was my roommate herself.

Karen had been dating this guy for a while now and she always ranted to me about how she hoped he would pop the question soon. Turns out he finally got the nerve to ask and now that they're engaged I'm being kicked out. Karen gave me two weeks to find a new place and move in, so kind of her.

The many arguments with Atlas where I refused to abandon my roommate to poverty were now ringing in my ears. I had no other choice but to move in and I hated it. Don't get me wrong I love working with my fellow magicians. I just don't get along well with Atlas and having my own place gave me an escape from his controlling ways.

I went to Henley first. I told her of my dilemma and asked her how to bring up the hated subject with the controller.

"It's best to just get it over with. Like pulling off a bandaid, just blurt it out and I'll back you up." She hesitantly smiled at me.

"Fine." I huffed out. "I'll go do it now. Might as well face the beast." Henley snickered at one of my many nicknames for Atlas as we walked into the living room. The three guys were sitting around doing whatever it is guys do in their spare time.

"So...um..." I started out hesitantly as they all turned to face me. "I've decided to move in."

"Why now?" Condescending as always Atlas.

"Her roommate kicked her out because she's engaged." Merritt said casually as he leaned back into the leather couch.

"Gwen's engaged?" Jack made a surprised look as he flicked some playing cards around.

"Nah, but her former roommate is."

"Thank you Merritt." I gritted my teeth as Atlas smiled smugly in victory.

"I win."

 _Planning, planning, and more planning with a dash of revelations_

 _-How to con a Frenchman, a bank, and a millionaire in four easy steps and learn about your teammates at the same time_

Once we're all under one roof and Atlas's thumb he calms down a tiny bit. I still refuse to call him Danny like the others but that's more me being stubborn than anything else. I enjoy pushing his buttons and making his eyes twitch. It's a fun hobby.

Today is a planning session and on days like this we aren't allowed to leave the apartment. We're like prisoners but without the handcuffs and the jail cells.

Atlas is sitting in front of a computer with the plans that we were given displayed. He taps his fingers rapidly and I just want to smack him. It's been two hours since we began and we haven't been able to come up with a plausible way to execute the plans yet. He started tapping forty-five minutes ago and hasn't paused once. The tap tap tap noise is like nails on a chalkboard to me and as I look around no one else seems bothered.

"Hey, Beethoven, we're not making music so can you please stop tapping."

"I didn't realize it bothered you so much Gwen." He tapped even louder and faster now. I gritted my teeth and gave him the death glare but he ignored me.

"Why does that bother you so much." Merritt studied me, searching for answers that I didn't feel like giving. "Someone else you know does that-" I flinched slightly and to most it was imperceptible but this is Merritt and he notices everything. "So it's someone that you use to know. Their either not in your life anymore or dead." He saw something else in my expression and body language. "Dead. Definitely dead. So who do you know that tapped their fingers that's dead. Mother. Father. Sister. Brother." I closed my eyes at brother, he'd struck a nerve and he knew it. "So your brother used to do that and he's dead now. How'd he die? Was it an accident? No it wasn't, it was something else-"

"Stop. Please just stop." I can barely breathe, it's like the walls are closing in on me and the light is fading away. Atlas's tapping has finally ceased, everything's silent except for my rapid breathing. "I need some air." I swiftly get up, almost tripping over my own two feet and hastily leave the living room heading for the bedroom that Henley and I share and it's fire escape.

I close the door behind me with a thud and open the window to the fire escape. Sitting outside in the cold air with the sounds of traffic and the masses calms my nerves. A siren sounds in the distance and a pigeon lands on the railing.

I try not to think about my brother that much. My happiest memories of my childhood are of him and my father but they are also some of my saddest. I loved my brother immensely, he's the one that pushed me to move to New York and follow my dreams. He made me promise that no matter what I would make it here, that I would live, for both of us.

I hear the door click open and then softly thud shut with an extra, soft click behind it. Footsteps are heading my way but I don't turn to see who it is, I know that it's most likely Henley.

"Go away Henley. I just need a few minutes and then I'll be back." My voice cracks and a few tears slip out but I bite my lip and hold the flood back.

"I'm not Henley." Atlas's voice sounds from the window and I spin around to see him crawl through.

"What are you doing here Atlas?"

"I came to check on you, because I care." My raised eyebrows and frown tip him off that I don't believe a word he's just said because he smirks. "Okay, you got me. I drew the short straw and had to come check on you. The others made sure of it. They followed me to the door and then Jack locked us in until you say some sort of password. He said you'd know what it was." Atlas looked unsure and awkward. He must not be used to having people force him to do things.

I gave a watery laugh at his short straw comment and wondered if they actually drew straws or if it was something like Rock Paper Scissors.

"I know what he's talking about. It's a movie we were discussing the other day. You don't have to sit here with me, I'll tell you what the password is and you can go. I'll be out soon."

"What was his name?" He asked suddenly.

I breathed out deeply and closed my eyes. "My dad had this obsession I guess you could call it, with the Arthurian legends. He loved them so much that he named me and my brother after characters. Did you know Gwen is a shortened form of Guinevere?" I opened my eyes to see Atlas nod and I ploughing on, finding it easier to talk about our names than what happened to my brother. "My brother was named Percy, after Sir Percival. A Queen and a knight of the Round Table. Fun fact, my dad would have preferred to name my brother Arthur or Merlin but I was older and he thought having a Gwen and an Arthur as siblings would be weird. He rejected Merlin because he feared my brother would be made fun of." I laughed lightly and felt like I could breathe again.

"That's interesting." Atlas said awkwardly. "Are you ready to go back now?"

A laugh and a snort bursts out. "You really suck at comforting people."

"I got you to laugh didn't I? That doesn't sound like sucking to me." He said smugly.

"You just opened yourself up to a slew of dirty jokes right there. But me, being the mature adult that I am will ignore them. Now come on Danny let's go inside. It's getting cold out here."

"You called me Danny. Why?" He sounded genuinely confused.

"You deserved it. Don't get used to it though, you'll annoy me again soon and it'll be back to Atlas."

I walked over to the door and tried the handle to be sure that it was locked. It was. I knocked on the door and yelled out to Jack. When he hollered back I yelled the password, The Mummy. Atlas looks at me weirdly and mutters "nerd" as the lock clicks and we're able to open the door. I ignore him and walk out, pushing my way past Henley and Merritt to sit down in the living room once more.

"Now that that's over with," Atlas says unconcerned. "Let's get back to the issue." He paused and looked around at us, gauging if we were up to the task. "Anyone have any ideas?" Silence. We had nothing.

"Can I see the laptop?" I spoke quietly. Atlas sighed and passed it over for me to look through. I scan the files we were given seeing the name of our Frenchman target, Etienne Forcier, the French bank were were suppose to rob, Credit Republican de Paris, our soon to be benefactor, Arthur Tressler, and more. I click through the information searching for a connection or an idea. There. That's it.

"Um, I think I have an idea. Well...part of an idea...okay it's pieces of an idea, but it's better than nothing." I took a steadying breathe and began laying out the pieces. "We could go to Paris, the money we have available can cover the trip...um, then we could somehow program Mr. Forcier's mind into thinking he has to go to Vegas. We could then track the money going to the bank and-"

"Ambush it before it reaches the bank. Genius!" Jack finishes excitedly.

"But the money would be guarded by several cops, armed cops." Henley adds.

I bite my lip in frustration. I hadn't thought of that.

"We could always drug them." Atlas states with a smirk.

"Drug a cop?! Are you crazy?"

"I don't see you coming up with a better plan!"

"You didn't give me time to!"

"Go ahead, take all the time you want it's not like we have a time limit. Oh, wait, we do!"

"Shut up Atlas! You can drug a cop, but I'm not."

"That's childish you know."

"Jerk face."

"Children, calm down." Henley tries to keep the peace but Atlas and I are like oil and water. "Gwen and Jack have the beginnings of a solid plan, lets build up from it."

"Fine." I sigh loudly. "But I'm not drugging a cop."

"Then don't."

"Oh shut up Atlas!"

"Both of you quiet!" Henley yelled and our jaws snapped shut. Henley never yells. "Act your ages. Now if anyone has an idea on how to further the plan then speak up, if not keep your mouth shut."

Merritt sighed. "I could hypnotize the cops."

"That could work." Jack nods along. "Then two people could hide in the van before the money gets placed and wait until the cops are replaced and drug the guards in the van."

"No drugging the guards! What is your obsession with that anyways?"

"There isn't another option. Unless you want to kill the guards?" Atlas says condescendingly. I just glare, not wanting to incite Henley's wrath.

"It's on my bucket list, Gwen." Jack smirks happily. "Merritt and I can pose as the cops once he hypnotizes them. Two of you could hid under the money in the van waiting to drug the guards and whoever is left can coordinate the others."

"Henley and Jerk face will have to be the one drugging the guards. I refuse to do that. I'll coordinate."

"Fine. Whatever." Atlas gritted his teeth.

"Any ideas on how to program the Frenchman into coming to Vegas?" Henley asked hopefully.

"It has to be subtle. We can't just walk up the guy and start discussing Vegas, it's suspicious."

"You're right Gwen. We could do something with a poker chip or tickets to Vegas or have him overhead a phone conversation." Jack says excitedly.

"All of those could work. They're subtle enough and they get the message across." Merritt confirms our plans. "I could prep him for the show at the same time too and one of you girls could measure him for the teleportation helmet."

"Now all that's left to get the rich guy behind us." I state. "We have to show him that we're unique. I don't think all of us should meet with him though. My part in the shows isn't flashy so I don't think I should be there. Then it's just a toss up between Merritt and Jack on who else doesn't show for the meeting. Henley and Atlas have these big flashy, showy routines that can impress Tressler."

"Your part is impressive too Gwen. I've never met a fortune teller as accurate as you, sometimes it's scary how accurate you are." Henley thinks she's comforting me but in all reality I want to be left behind in this part.

"Henley, its fine, really. All of us showing off at one time for an audition would be overwhelming. One person isn't gonna cut it and two would be a stretch, but three would do just fine."

"Merritt can go. I'd steal from him and then we might not get his support." Jack says.

Atlas sighs. "Fine. Let's just go over the plans one more time and then you all can do whatever it is you do in your free time."

"Step one, fly to Paris and find Etienne Forcier." Henley begins.

"Step two, program Etienne into heading to Vegas while at the same time getting his measurements and preparing him for the performance." Merritt continues the list.

"Step three, pose as cops, hide under a pile of money in a guarded van, drug the guards, and steal the money." Jack says with a manic smile.

"Step four, set up a meeting with Arthur Tressler, Henley, Merritt, and Atlas will impress him thus getting him as our benefactor." I finished.

"You can go now." Atlas says.

I wonder if he was even listening to us rattle off the steps of our master plan.

 _ **Did any of you guys get my reference in the last chapter? Comment what it was from and who says it all the time and I'll follow you!**_  
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 _ **I hope you guys liked this chapter. There will be one more like this, maybe two more. It depends on how long it is.**_

 _ **Quick poll.**_

 _ **Who should Gwen end up with?**_

 _ **Atlas?**_

 _ **OC?**_

 _ **Dylan?**_

 _ **No one?**_

 _ **Please comment with your answer!**_


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